Electrocardiographic abnormalities in COVID-19 patients visiting the emergency department: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be associated with myocardial injury. Identification of at-risk patients and mechanisms underlying cardiac involvement in COVID-19 remains unclear. During hospitalization for COVID-19, high troponin level has been found to be an independent variable associated with in-hospital mortality and a greater risk of complications.

Hyponatremia is associated with poor outcome in COVID-19.

Aim: Our objective was to describe the impact of hyponatremia on the outcomes of COVID-19 patients [outcomes selected: intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation or death].

Methods: Two groups of COVID-19 patients were retrospectively screened on the basis of plasma sodium level at admission: hyponatremic (sodium < 135 mM, n = 92) or normonatremic (sodium ≥ 135 mM, n = 198) patients. Pearson's chi- (qualitative variables) and Student's T tests (quantitative variables) were used to compare the two groups.

Electrolyte imbalance in COVID-19 patients admitted to the Emergency Department: a case-control study.

In patients visiting the emergency department (ED), a potential association between electrolytes disturbance and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been well studied. We aim to describe electrolyte disturbance and explore risk factors for COVID-19 infection in patients visiting the ED. We carried out a case-control study in three hospitals in France, including adult ED inpatients (≥ 18 years old).

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown period on adult musculoskeletal injuries and surgical management: a retrospective monocentric study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the worldwide implementation of unprecedented public protection measures. On the 17th of March, the French government announced a lockdown of the population for 8 weeks. This monocentric study assessed the impact of this lockdown on the musculoskeletal injuries treated at the emergency department as well as the surgical indications.

Are third-generation cephalosporins associated with a better prognosis than amoxicillin-clavulanate in patients hospitalized in the medical ward for community-onset pneumonia?

Objectives: We aimed to assess whether treatment with ceftriaxone/cefotaxime is associated with lower in-hospital mortality than amoxicillin-clavulanate in pati0ents hospitalized in medical wards for community-onset pneumonia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective and multicentre study of patients hospitalized in French medical wards for community-onset pneumonia between 2002 and 2015. Treatments with ceftriaxone/cefotaxime or amoxicillin-clavulanate were defined by their start in the emergency department for a duration of 5 days or more with no other β-lactam.

High variability among Emergency Departments in 3rd-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones use for community-acquired pneumonia.

Objective: Fluoroquinolones and 3rd-generation cephalosporins that are prescribed for pneumonia may be avoided and replaced by a penicillin in some cases. We aimed to determine if the proportion of patients treated for pneumonia with a cephalosporin, a fluoroquinolone or both varies among Emergency Departments (EDs), and to estimate the proportion of avoidable prescriptions.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients treated for pneumonia in eight French EDs, and subsequently hospitalized in non-ICU wards.

Increasing use of third-generation cephalosporins for pneumonia in the emergency department: may some prescriptions be avoided?

Third-generation cephalosporins are used to treat inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia. Some of these prescriptions may be avoided, i.e.

Results of an outpatient transient ischemic attack evaluation: a 90-day follow-up study.

Background: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is common and precedes 15% of strokes. TIA should be managed as a time-sensitive illness to prevent a subsequent stroke. However, management of TIA is heterogeneous, with little consensus about its optimal assessment.

How to reduce antibiotic consumption for community-acquired pneumonia?

Background: The difficulty to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the lack of scientific data regarding the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy are responsible for overprescribing antibiotics.

Objective: The authors had for objective to perform a systematic review of the international medical literature on strategies aimed at reducing antibiotic consumption for CAP.

Methods: We performed a Pubmed search using the keywords CAP, antibiotic use, duration of antibiotic therapy, procalcitonin, short-course treatment, and biomarkers.

[Three recurrent episodes of Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy precipitated by an emotional stressful event: a case report].

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy, first described in 1990 by Sato in Japan, has recently gained increasing consideration when reported in non-Japanese patients, including the United States and Europe. Typical presentation mimics acute coronary syndrome, with acute chest pain and/or dyspnoea, associated to electrocardiographic changes and moderate cardiac biomarkers release, but in which coronary angiography reveals no coronary arteries lesions and echocardiography or left ventriculography shows a reversible left ventricle systolic dysfunction. Prognosis is good, in contrast to acute coronary syndrome, provided that the patients survive the possible life-threatening acute presentation, with correction of the left ventricle systolic dysfunction within several days or weeks.